Everyone
understood that the troops were off; that they had their orders. But not
even the officers themselves knew where, it seemed.
"Here we are--here's a car!" said the officer called Cecil. "Jump aboard,
young 'uns! We know where you're going, right enough. Might as well save
some time."
And so in a few minutes they reached the great barracks. Here the bustle
that had been so marked about the station was absent. All was quiet. They
were challenged by a sentry and Harry asked for the officer of the guard.
When he came he handed him Wharton's letter. They were told to
wait--outside. And then, in a few minutes, the officer returned, passed
them through, and turned them over to an orderly, who took them to the room
where Colonel Throckmorton, who was seemingly in charge of important
affairs, received them. He returned their salute, then bent a rather stern
gaze upon them before he spoke.
CHAPTER IV
THE HOUSE OF THE HELIOGRAPH
"You know your way about London?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," said Harry.
"I shall have messages for you to carry," said the colonel, then. "Now I
want to explain, so that you will understand the importance of this, why
you are going to be allowed to do this work. This war has come
suddenly--but we are sure that the enemy has expected it for a long time,
and has made plans accordingly.
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